When the massive mortar of smashed eggplant and green chili pepper, along with preserved eggs, arrived at the table, I realized it was a bit of a metaphor for Taste of Hunan as a whole. Sure, the oversized mortar is one thing, but there’s also the tableside show of the staff pounding the ingredients, as well as the huge flavors that opened to reveal a range of tastes and textures. That eggplant dish not only spoke to the nature of the food at the Mira Mesa restaurant (9880 Hibert St., Ste. E2), but of Hunan cuisine itself.
Read more at http://sdcitybeat.com/food-drink/the-world-fare/surprising-subtlety-at-taste-of-hunan/